He told the Radio Times: "There is an underlying culture in football in general where people are trying to make an awful lot of money for themselves over and above what they should be being paid.

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“Everybody says they’re shocked [by The Daily Telegraph’s disclosures], but people are aware that there has been a culture underground in football.

“I think the agents are a serious cause of that, and the FA have to bring in some new rules to police, if that’s the right word, some of the activities that agents and so-called advisers seem to be exerting on managers.

“The English game is so widely admired across the world now, so seen across the world – I think that opens the door to all sorts of people who might want to get their fingers in the pie who don’t necessarily come from or operate in this country.

"I think there’s an awful lot of networking that goes on, and it isn’t all necessarily above board. But that doesn’t start and finish with Sam Allardyce; that’s a cancer affecting the game worldwide.”

Meanwhile Gareth Southgate, the England football team’s new caretaker manager, has admitted he works in an industry “that at times I don’t like” as he prepares to take charge of his first match.

Southgate said the “business side” of football could be unsavoury at times.

“The detail of what happened last week, I’m not too au fait with." he said. "I’ve heard names mentioned and bits of information but I don’t have the detail so I don’t think I can speculate about what might or might not have happened.

“There’s lots about the industry of football that I don’t like but it’s a sport I love, representing my country was something I loved and they’re the bits I have to focus on."